Publishers to fight for copyright
24 Jul 2008
Copyright seems to be constantly under attack these days - from law makers; by consumer perceptions that content, especially online, should be free; from libraries wanting to make their content available outside their premises; and from Google and other big search engines which make money out of other people's content.
Tackling online piracy in Europe
25 Jun 2008
The threat to Europe's creative industries from online copyright infringement featured heavily at a conference hosted by the Slovenian Presidency earlier this month.
UK ad code for all digital media?
12 Jun 2008
Do you know which of the advertising you carry on your sites is covered by the UK Code of Advertising Practice (CAP)? You’d be surprised - quite a lot is. Straighforward banner ads and pop-ups, for example.
EC questions behavioural targeting
02 May 2008
Behavioural targeting, cookies and online privacy are hot topics again at the EC. AOP has contacted MEPs to highlight the importance of targeted advertising to our industry, and to stress that robust data protection is in place.
AOP responds to proposed copyright changes
29 Apr 2008
AOP has submitted a response to the UK Intellectual Property Office consultation on changes to copyright in the digital age. Our detailed response is aimed at ensuring that publishers' businesses are not damaged by any changes.
Freedom to report without restrictions
04 Apr 2008
Do your journalists attend large sporting or cultural events to report on them? Are you finding the terms of their access to these events increasingly restrictive? AOP has noted that reporter access to certain major sporting events seems to come with a number of increasingly onerous restrictions.
Google clarifies position on ACAP
19 Mar 2008
Google CEO Eric Schmidt has announced his support of the Automated Content Access Protocol (ACAP), an initiative providing publishers with more control over the use of their content online.
PSP focused attention on digital
18 Mar 2008
Ofcom has scrapped its idea for a Public Service Publisher (PSP). Chief executive Ed Richards stated that the idea had served its purpose by focusing attention on the importance of digital media in public sector broadcasting (PSB).
Google/DoubleClick merger approved
07 Mar 2008
European Commission regulators have approved the Google/DoubleClick merger, as suggested previously in an FT report. The EC made its approval without any major concerns about the impact of the merger on users’ privacy.
Dominic Young briefs AOP on ACAP
06 Mar 2008
The Automated Content Access Protocol (ACAP) aims to enable a “more sophisticated debate” with search engines. In a show of support for the project, AOP has ACAP-enabled its own site.
BSG consumer guidelines announced
21 Feb 2008
AOP board members BBC, Channel 4 and ITV have signed up to a new code of conduct covering consumer guidelines for web and mobile content. The guidelines were developed by advisory body the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG), backed by Ofcom.
Online legal deposit survey
07 Feb 2008
Proposals to extend legal deposit requirements for print to UK websites could end up costing publishers more than they might expect - depending on which option is chosen.
Convergence Think Tank first meeting
07 Feb 2008
Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport launched the Convergence Think Tank this morning, announcing that the Government wants to encourage a converged content market which has low access barriers and gives universal coverage to all consumers.
Parenting sites’ input urged on baby milk ad guidelines
25 Jan 2008
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is threatening to restrict revenues with a draft set of new guidelines for the advertising of infant and follow-on formulas.
ISPs' role in copyright to increase?
24 Jan 2008
The E-commerce Directive provides internet service providers (ISPs) with copyright exemptions (or ‘mere conduit’ status) - they only have to remove infringing materials when they are made aware of them.
Protecting and monetising content with ACAP
24 Jan 2008
AOP was represented at a meeting organised by PPA on protecting and monetising content on 17 January. ACAP's project leader, Mark Bide, was there to explain how it can be part of publishers' digital strategies.
Online regulation big in 2008
11 Jan 2008
2008 is shaping up to be the year both UK and EU administrations switch their focus online - several new reviews have been announced.
PLS urges publishers to claim royalties
14 Dec 2007
The Publishers Licensing Society (PLS) has launched a campaign to track down publishers who may be owed significant sums of money in royalties.
ACAP: New York update
07 Dec 2007
ACAP, a ‘toolkit’ to enable publishers to communicate their varying online content access and usage policies in a language that search engine crawlers can understand, was launched in New York last week. AOP legal and public affairs were present.
AOP members represented at ACAP
23 Nov 2007
A scheme to give publishers increased control of their online content is set to launch in New York, where AOP members will be represented by legal executive James Evans.
US calls for online age verification
18 Oct 2007
Regulators in the US are calling for social networking sites, including Myspace and Facebook, to introduce age verifying software in order to address and improve the safety of children online.
DCF appoints Rawlinson as chair
17 May 2007
The Digital Content Forum (DCF) has appointed Michael Rawlinson, managing director of the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), as its new chair.
Online ad complaints rise by third
11 May 2007
The number of complaints made about online advertising has risen by a third, according to new statistics released by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Food ad rules to include online
11 Apr 2007
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) is releasing a revised code on the advertising of food to children under 12 in non-broadcast media such as magazines, paid-for ad space on the internet, newspapers, billboards and cinema.
AOP attends summit with Culture Minister
30 Mar 2007
AOP attended an industry summit last week with Minister for Culture Shaun Woodward. The summit brought together representatives from the publishing industry to get feedback in advance of a Green Paper on the Creative Industries.
Last chance for AOP legal requirements input
16 Mar 2007
AOP will shortly close its review of members’ requirements in the area of legal and public affairs, intended to ensure that AOP maximises its resources and focuses activity in the areas of greatest value to members.
Minister warns online regulation threat not yet averted
16 Mar 2007
Shaun Woodward, Minister for Culture, Media and Sport has warned that the threat of content regulation for online magazines with audiovisual content, proposed by the European Commission, has not yet been averted.
Microsoft criticises Google over IP
07 Mar 2007
Addressing the Association of American Publishers at their annual conference, Tom Rubin, associate general counsel at Microsoft, accused Google of exploiting copyright and intellectual property through its search engine business.
Belgians win suit over Google News
14 Feb 2007
Copiepresse, the copyright protection group representing 17 mostly French-language newspapers, last week won its lawsuit against Google Inc. "Google cannot call on any exceptions set out by law relating to copyright or similar rights," the ruling said.
PCC’s remit to include audio-visual material
09 Feb 2007
The Press Standards Board of Finance Ltd (PressBoF) has announced that following industry-wide consultation it has agreed to extend the remit of the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) to include editorial audio-visual material on newspaper and magazine websites.
Lords oppose new media directive
09 Feb 2007
The Lords European Union Committee this week produced a report outlining why the Commission's Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS) should be resisted. Source: Out-Law.com
Viacom anger over YouTube clips
06 Feb 2007
Viacom has demanded that YouTube takes immediate action to remove reportedly more than 100,000 infringing clips posted on the Google-owned video portal.
Voluntary deposit scheme relaunched
02 Feb 2007
A newly simplified voluntary scheme for the deposit of offline digital and microform publications launched on 1 February 2007 and AOP members are encouraged to participate.
Ofcom proposes new Public Sector Publisher
02 Feb 2007
Ofcom this week released a consultation asking for stakeholder responses to a proposal for a Public Service Provider (PSP) of online content.
Important changes to website and email comms
19 Jan 2007
If you have not done so already, you should review and if necessary amend the sign off on your email, other business correspondence and websites to ensure compliance with the updated requirements.
Positive result for media lobby on defamation
19 Jan 2007
A positive outcome has been achieved for the UK media lobby, with the European Parliament adopting a media-friendly final position on the Rome II Regulation - the law applicable to cross-border defamation claims.
EU law threatens ecommerce
15 Jan 2007
Retailers are warning that a proposed European Union law on contracts will curb the growth of online sales and impose “serious” costs on businesses that trade overseas via the internet.
No liability exemption for aggregators
22 Dec 2006
The Government has concluded that there is not enough evidence to justify any extension of limitations on liability to providers of hyperlinks, location tool services and content aggregation services.
Gowers Review - AOP reaction
15 Dec 2006
Andrew Gowers recently published the long-awaited Gowers Review of Intellectual Property (IP) law. AOP considers the findings of the Review broadly balanced but highlights areas of concern that should be addressed in the continuing debate.
Agreement on TV rules by end 2007
15 Dec 2006
The first stage of the European debate on the reform of the Television Without Frontiers Directive has now ended with a vote in the Strasbourg Parliament. However, the battle is not yet won and for publishers there are still a number of areas which need clarification.
Gowers Reforms to strengthen IP enforcement
06 Dec 2006
Andrew Gowers has published the long-awaited Gowers Review of Intellectual Property. AOP welcomes the report's recognition that the intellectual property system, on which the digital publishing industry relies for its economic development, is not in need of radical reform.
Threat from Europe on copyright
01 Dec 2006
The EU Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy has warned of potentially extensive changes in the European copyright regime.
Online tools put press in touch with the public
01 Dec 2006
Respect MP George Galloway participated in a PPA-sponsored House of Commons debate last Friday, in which Ian Reeves, former editor of Press Gazette, argued that developments such as online video-sharing, blogs and podcasting mean that the public is becoming the press.
Junk food advertising outlawed
30 Nov 2006
Restrictions on children's junk food advertisements on the internet, radio and billboards are being considered by a group of civil servants, after Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority moved to ban junk food advertising around children's programming and in children's magazines.
US ruling finds libel hosts exempt
21 Nov 2006
The California Supreme Court has ruled that bloggers and US internet providers are not liable for posting defamatory comments which are written by third parties.
Crucial time for TVWF negotiations
16 Nov 2006
The negotiations on the Television Without Frontiers Directive have reached a stage where they must be watched carefully to ensure no ‘behind doors deals’ are made.
DCMS launches public service media content enquiry
13 Nov 2006
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has announced a major new inquiry into public service media content.
Latest TVWF text encouraging for media
08 Nov 2006
The latest version of the European Council text on the proposed revisions to the Television Without Frontiers Directive is the most encouraging for publishers yet, in ensuring online publishers are kept out of the scope.
AOP responds to EU on Content Online
20 Oct 2006
In its response AOP argued that EU media policy should build on the values of freedom of expression by reducing restrictions on content and advertising in media to support the future platform of user-driven information and communication and maintain the EU as a leading market place for the creative media industry.
YouTube removes Japanese video clips
20 Oct 2006
YouTube has removed almost 30,000 video clips after an organisation representing the Japanese media industry complained over copyright concerns.
Universal sues for video copyright infingement
19 Oct 2006
Universal Music is suing video-sharing websites Bolt.com and Grouper.com just a week after it agreed a partnership with YouTube to allow it to carry Universal artists' content legally.
Internet gambling outlawed in the US
18 Oct 2006
President Bush has signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act making it unlawful for online gamblers to use a US bank to deposit or withdraw money at internet gambling sites.
Legal risks of Web 2.0 explained
17 Oct 2006
Speakers at a recent breakfast seminar hosted by AOP associate member law firm Pinsent Masons advised publishers to update their procedures, policies and terms and conditions in the light of increased risk of liability resulting from Web 2.0.
Views needed for Content Online consultation
06 Oct 2006
AOP is preparing a response to the European Union's consultation on ways to stimulate the growth of a true EU single market for online digital content, due in next week (13 October).
AOP champions publishers' interests online
22 Sep 2006
AOP representatives attended two crucial meetings yesterday to represent publishers’ interests at UK and EU level, on issues regarding defamation and territoriality, and the regulation of audiovisual content online.
Search engine permissions project due to launch next month
22 Sep 2006
Following the Belgian court decision against Google last week, a global taskforce headed by the World Association of Newspapers has announced the imminent launch of a pilot project that it hopes will prevent future clashes between search engines and publishers.
Belgian court bans Google crawl
18 Sep 2006
A Belgian court has ruled that Google was contravening copyright laws by including headlines and links to online stories from the Belgian press in its Google News service. Google faces fines of €1m (£675m) for every day the content stays live.
New age discrimination laws apply from 1 October
14 Sep 2006
Legislation which outlaws age discrimination in employment and vocational training will come into effect on 1 October 2006. The law covers the media sector and includes every member of members’ workforces.
AOP responds to DCMS consultation on audiovisual rules
08 Sep 2006
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AOP has responded to a consultation by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the European Commission's proposals for amending the Television Without Frontiers Directive (TVWF).
Apple faces iTunes battle in Scandinavia
11 Aug 2006
The Norwegian Consumer Ombudsman ruled in June that iTunes is anti-competitive as only iPods can play iTunes, due to the digital rights management (DRM) used by Apple.
EU recognition of advertising self-regulation
11 Aug 2006
Robert Madelin, director general of Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General (DG Sanco) of the European Commission, recently gave clear recognition of the effectiveness of self-regulation in the advertising sector.
15 yr old faces wrath of Yell.com
02 Aug 2006
Yellowikis, a listings website inspired by Wikipedia and Craigslist and created by 15 year-old Rosa Blaus with the help of her father Paul Youlden, has incurred the wrath of Yellow Pages.
Kazaa bows to music industry
28 Jul 2006
Kazaa, one of the biggest peer-to-peer filesharing sites, has agreed to compensate the music industry $115m (£61m) after record labels took it to court for operating a pirate music site. Kazaa also paid an undisclosed sum to compensate the film industry.
DCF outlines future vision
25 Jul 2006
Alexandra White was re-elected onto the Digital Content Forum (DCF) board of directors as representative of the UK online publishing industry, at the DCF’s AGM last month.
Ofcom report advocates self regulation for web
14 Jul 2006
Ofcom has argued in a new report that self-regulatory initiatives, allied to effective media literacy initiatives and supported by general law, will continue to be the most effective way to deliver consumer protection in the online environment.
France approves anti-DRM law
14 Jul 2006
France has passed a controversial law which could render Apple's iTunes illegal. The new law is designed to force interoperability between digital songs and devices that play them and has been labelled as the 'ipod law'.
Google victory in Germany
14 Jul 2006
German publisher Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (WBG) has dropped its case against internet company Google, over the Google Books Library Project (the Project). The Project aims to digitise 15 million books and make them searchable online.
Strict new guidance on adverts for online gaming
14 Jul 2006
The Government and the Gambling Commission have issued guidance to online operators, advertisers and publishers on the types of advertisements that they consider to be illegal under the Gambling Act 1968.
AOP and BL discuss archiving trial
12 Jul 2006
Members of the AOP technical group met with the British Library recently to discuss the possibility of conducting a web archiving trial with some of AOP's members.
MySpace sued for $30m
23 Jun 2006
A Texas woman has filed a $30m lawsuit against MySpace.com claiming her 14-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by someone she met through the site and alleging that MySpace does not do enough to protect its under-age users.
AOP gives evidence to DCMS committee
15 Jun 2006
Content publishers and Government should work together to raise public awareness of the growing threats from illegal or unauthorised use of copyright works, according to Andrew Yeates, legal advisor to AOP, in evidence to an influential committee of MPs chaired by Conservative MP John Whittingdale.
BL sets out content strategy
13 Jun 2006
AOP is requesting feedback from members on proposals for what information resources the British Library should collect and connect with, in order to meet the needs of UK research, both today and in the future.
Carter leaves Ofcom
30 May 2006
Stephen Carter, chief executive of Ofcom, will leave his job on October 15, the media regulator has confirmed. Carter has held the post since February 2003.
DCMS debates digital copyright law, as AOP called to give evidence
19 May 2006
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, chaired by John Whittingdale MP, yesterday considered whether existing copyright law was adequate in the light of new digital technologies, and has invited AOP and PPA to submit evidence to the Committee.
First discussion of Audiovisual Directive in the European Parliament
21 Apr 2006
AOP was represented for the first discussion of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (formerly Television without Frontiers) in the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection of the European Parliament, this week (19 April).
AOP responds to Gowers review on intellectual property
21 Apr 2006
AOP has responded to the Gowers Review on intellectual property, set up by the Treasury and which called for evidence earlier this year. The consultation closed today, 21 April.
Television Without Frontiers enters European Parliament
07 Apr 2006
The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (the Directive), formerly Television Without Frontiers (TVWF), has begun its journey through the European Parliament. The Culture and Education Committee started discussing the Directive on 20 March and an AOP representative was there to hear what went on.
France votes on draft digital interoperability law
07 Apr 2006
France's National Assembly recently voted on a draft law implementing the Copyright Directive. Addressed by the draft law is the issue of DRM and interoperability between digital services and devices. Under the current drafting, the law could force Apple to open up its iTunes catalogue to other brands of MP3 players.
DRC publishes new accessibility guidance
10 Mar 2006
New guidance has been published to help online businesses meet accessibility requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The guidance, in the form of a new Publicly Available Specification from the British Standards Institute, has been commissioned by the Disability Rights Commission.
DCMS issues guidance on advertisements for remote gaming.
09 Mar 2006
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and the Gambling Commission (GC) last week, (March 3), issued their long-awaited joint guidance on their view as to the application of the Gaming Act 1968 in respect of advertisements for remote gaming.
Digital Rights Management debated in commons
08 Feb 2006
AOP and PPA Intellectual Property consultant Andrew Yeates gave evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Internet Group in the House of Commons on the subject of Digital Rights Management (DRM) on 2 February.
Content industries discuss public service broadcasting
13 Jan 2006
Representatives of the digital content industries met today (13 January 2006) to debate the current and potential effects of the “public service” broadcasters, as they create new, digitally-delivered services.
Ofcom's new media rights ultimatum
11 Jan 2006
Ofcom has given broadcasters and independent producers two months to agree a way forward on new media rights before it steps in with new rules.
Website operators face criminal liability for third party content
05 Jan 2006
If implemented in its current form, the controversial Terrorism Bill could have serious implications for websites which carry third party material - such as chatrooms and blogs - or which facilitate third parties' sales.
Consultation launched on 'dodgy-dealing' Directive
15 Dec 2005
The DTI has launched a consultation into the implementation of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. The Directive is designed to tackle aggressive, misleading and unfair selling and marketing practices.
Progress made on TVWF Directive at European Publishers Forum
08 Dec 2005
AOP was represented at the European Publishers Forum on 6 December where Commissioner Viviane Reding confirmed that she would not regulate magazines and newspapers, either on paper or online, and that they would be excluded from the scope of the revised Television Without Frontiers (TVWF) Directive.
UK inquiry into Digital Rights Management: Case studies required
18 Nov 2005
The All Party Parliamentary Internet Group (APIG), a discussion forum between new media industries and Parliamentarians, is to hold a public inquiry into the issues surrounding Digital Rights Management (DRM), including the degree of protection needed for both copyright holders and consumers.
Government plans to reduce administrative burden caused by regulation
17 Nov 2005
Between £20bn and £40bn is spent every year by businesses, charities and voluntary organisations carrying out administration caused by UK regulations. In an effort to tackle this administrative burden, the Government has launched the Admin Burdens Reductions Project
Draft proposal excludes press websites from new TVWF directive
10 Nov 2005
Following a long process of stakeholder consultation, to which AOP contributed on behalf of its members, press websites have been excluded from the amended draft proposal for a new Television Without Frontiers Directive (TVWF).
New RSA Charter challenges enforcement of IP rights
20 Oct 2005
The Royal Society of Arts has launched an RSA Adelphi Charter on Creativity, Innovation and Intellectual Property which claims that any changes to IP legal framework should be held to a public interest test.
No consensus reached on extension of EU Broadcast regulation to audio-visual content
23 Sep 2005
The groundbreaking EU British presidency conference in Liverpool has exposed fundamental questions about the need for a Commission Directive to extend regulation under the Television Directive (TWF) to all audio visual content.
AOP argues against extension of TV rules to online
22 Aug 2005
AOP has argued that there is no need for the Television without Frontiers (TVWF) Directive to incorporate online media.
Content industries prepare to respond to No10 digital strategy
14 Jul 2005
This week AOP met with other content industry representatives to review the new digital strategy from No10, which aims to make the UK "a world leader in allowing people to use or reach any content, with any device, anywhere, anytime".
Common sense prevails in 'Rome II' compromise
14 Jul 2005
Following years of lobbying by the publishing industry, the European Parliament has now agreed on what law should apply to online defamation and privacy disputes in the EU, within the proposal known as 'Rome II'.
Creative Archive Licence Group launches with new take on digital rights issue
13 Apr 2005
AOP members, the BBC and Channel 4, have joined forces with the British Film Institute (bfi) and the Open University (OU) to launch the Creative Archive Licence, which will pave the way for legal downloading of selected material from the internet.
Briefing note on web accessibility now available
21 Dec 2004
Representatives from the AOP technical group met with the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) last month to discuss the implications of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) for web publishers and clarify how AOP members can ensure they are following the correct procedures.
How to avoid blacklisting by AOL spam filters
06 Jul 2004
AOP has written to AOL on members' behalf, to find out what AOL blacklisting and whitelisting policies are, and what email marketing best practice guidelines AOL advocates, so that AOP members can make sure they don't get caught the spam trap.
